The FDA finally approved the UVA blocking sunscreen ingredient Mexoryl. It has been around since the early 90’s in other countries! I wish I could hear some arguments as to why it took so long for the US government to approve it. Perhaps oncologists were lobbying against it because they might lose too much business then abruptly stoped after they realized lazy Americans don’t regularly use sunscreen anyway. I can’t wait to give the new product a try. I hope it isn’t too greasy.
It’s a small world after all… July 12, 2006
At least in the molecular simulation world… I have been at a conference in Blaine, WA for the past couple of days with bunch of molecular simulation experts and students. It seems as though I have either met everyone before, students at least, or I know them through a friend. The very first night at a social event I was approached by a guy from U. Warwick. He is apparently a friend of a close friend of mine I met two years ago in Wales (I am speaking of you, Rob). And yet another guy attending this conference I met two years ago at the same workshop in Wales. This guy’s girlfriend, whom he also met in Wales, will be working down the hall from me at Vandy very soon as well. And if that weren’t enough, the same random Greek fellow I roomed with at this conference three years ago has returned. It’s all so… Incestuous.
In other inane conference news, I made my very first trip to Canada yesterday. Well… I wouldn’t really call it a trip so much as an excuse to say I have been to Canada. We had a couple of hours yesterday afternoon to “mingle” and discuss important scientific topics with fellow scientists, so a group of very “dedicated” scientists (I include myself in this.) made a trip to Vancouver to discuss our issues. Strangely enough, it took three times as long to get into Canada than to get back in the US. The US border official told us our story was crazy enough that it had to be true, so he let us into the country only checking our passports and the foreign students visa waivers. Apparently a chatty Irish driver who doesn’t remember the names of all the people of four different nationalities in the car is a good story if you are looking to gain entrance to the US. I suppose it did help that they had already been in the US.
Mmmm… Lara bars July 2, 2006
Ever had a Lara bar? They’re probably one of the tastier “energy bars”. Along with Clif bars, of course… Well, I found a recipe, well not so much a recipe as general guidelines, to make them. They are insanely easy to make and slightly cheaper, though you don’t have the nice packaging. If you have a food processor and like energy bars/granola bars as snacks, I highly suggest giving these a try.
Now, on to my vegan coconut cupcakes to counter the healthful snack…
